Howard



H. C. MCDONALD.

TOWEL HOLDER OR DEVICE.

APPUCATION HLED JAN. 26,1917- 1 23,296. Patelgted Dec. 2,1919.

ZSHEETS-SHEET L Jnuenfin HFCIMcDONALD.

- TOWEL HOLDER 0R DEVICE. APPLICATION flLED JAN. 26, 917. 1,323,296,, Patented Dec. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fm/e/WS/ To all whom it may concern:

n1 TED ermine PATENT caries.

' HOWARD o. mcnonnnn, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TOWEL HOLDER on DEVICE.

Be it known that I, HOWARD C. MCDON- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inTowel Holders or- Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to-a towel holder or device suitable for ,use in lavatories and other more or less public places, for enabling persons tohave theuse of individual,

towels which are locked orfsecured' so as to prevent the theft or misuse of the towels. 7

Numerous attempts have been made to produce a towel holder or delivery device of this nature but theseprior devices have been found impractical or undesirable for.

one or another reason. It is necessary tolock or secure the towels to prevent them from being stolen and misused, but this should be accomplished in such a way as to enable the readygand convenient use of the towels, and also to enable the towels tobe removed from the holder or device and re plenished by the towel -supply man expeditiously and with the minimum labor and handling of the towels. It is also obligatory .to observe sanitary precautions by preventing the,contact of the soiled or used towels with the clean or unused towels. The'persons ordinarily making use of such towel holders or devices will operatethe device to obtain a'towel for use but when through with thetowel will drop the same in the easiest way possible 'and'cannot be relied ,upon to take any pains to see that the soiled towel enters the intended receptacle or is otherwise disposed of in the manner intended to preserve the neat appearance of the device. If, therefore, a tidy appearance of the towel holder or device is to be preserved it is necessary to make provisionfor a suitable disposition of the soiled towels without relying upon the users to make any effort-in this direction.

The objects of the lIlVEIltlOIl are to produce a practical and desirable towel holder 7 or device which, while affording ready use of individualtowels, prevents the theft or misuse, of the same, is thoroughl sanitary,- and insures such a disposition o the soiled towels that they are always hidden from sight without requiring the user, after using a towel, to do anything but to'merely drop or release the used towel; also to provide a specification of Letters Patent.

vmeans, capable of ready and; easy operation,

Patented Dec. 2, 1919. Application filed January 26,1917.: Se1'ia1-No.144,741. I

by the actuation of which a person desiring to use a towel obtains access to the same and by thls act moves the previousl used towel' to a position where it is out *0 sight and does not interfere with the use of the clean towels; also to provide a towel holder or devlce 1n which a supply of clean towels can be placed in position and the soiled towels removed with the minimum expenditure of time and laobr in handling and replenishing the towels; also to provide a towel holder or, device in which-the towels are folded and retained in a novel manner which facilitates the insertion and removal of the supply of towels and alsothe ready use of the towels-by the individual users.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevationof a towel holder embodyingthe invention, showing the normal position of'theparts. I

Fig.2 is a similar view showing the posit on of-the parts when the door is opened toobtain a towel.

Fig. 3 is a-front elevation on a reduced scale thereof. 7 1

Fig. 4e-is a transverse sectional, elevation of the casing showing the towel-operating mechanism in elevation therein, a portion of the door of the casing being broken away to disclose the parts in rear of the same.

' Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a pa'ck'or bundle of towels ready for insertion into the casing..-

F1g. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view the soiled and clean towels, and its holder.

Fig. 7 1s an enlarged fragmentarysectional elevation of the towel clamp or look: ing device.

Fig. '8 1s an elevation, partly in section, of the means for locking the towel clamp in'the casing. 1

' Fig. 9 is an edge view of a'towel showing the manner in which the towels'are folded.

1 represents a casing which may be of any suitable form and construction, the casing bein preferably made of sheet metal and ofg'ja upright upon the floor.' The casing is'provided at its front with a door opening '2 through which access is had to the towels in the casing, and 3 is a door for closing this opening. Preferably the door is arranged to slide vertically in suitable guides fbrxn and size adapted to stand of the rear separating plate used between pres t at the opposite sides of the casing and is adapted o be'opened by a treadle 5 suitably connected to the door. As shown, the treadle extends through an opening in the lower part of the casing, is hinged at its front,'

or secured to a large wheel or pulley 9 to 'which is attached one end of a cord or fiexible connection 10 which extends up through the casing, passes over guide pulleys 11 and 12 in the upper portion thereof and is suitably attached at its opposite end to the sli door 3. lVhen the treadle is dethe pulleys 8 and 9 are rotated and the cord 10 is wound on the grooved periphery'of the large pulley 9, thereb raising the door, as shown in Fig. 2. lVhen the treadle is released the door will descend by gravity, winding the cord 7 on the small pulley 8 and raising the treadle ready for the next actuation. Any other suitable means adapted to be readily operated by a person desiring to use a towel can be employed for opening the door 3.

13 represents a pack or bundleof towels which are locked between their ends in a clamp or holder 1t mounted and locked in the casing 1. The towels hang from the clamp or holder in the casing in rear of the door opening 2, as clearly shown in- Figs. 1 and 2, where they can he reached and. drawn out through the opening 2 far enough for use, but the towels cannot be detached and removed except by unlocking the clamp. Each towel is folded as shown in Fig. 9, that is, the opposite ends of each towel are folded over to opposite sides so that when the towels are suspended from their middle portions by the clamp, both folded ends of each towel will extend upwardly at the front side of the towel In this way the folded end of the front or outermost towel of the pack can be readily grasped and the towel pulled forwardly through the opening 2 in the casing. The towels shown are of such length that one-half of each. double towel is suiiicient for ordinary use a d only onehalf of a towel is used at one t1 n the double towels shown are pi ferably eniployed,- since they can be laundri handled more economically, it sh understood that separate towels, substantially half the length of the towels shown could be used and secured by their upper ends in the clamp 14 with their depending lower ends folded upwardly and forwardly in the manner explained, without altering the principle or operation of the towel holder or de ice, and hereafter, in this specificat' a half of each double towel is ref-er c. to as a towel. in the the clamping nuts 18.

use of the device, after each towel has been used, it is carried upwardly and'over to the rear of the pack of towels as hereinafter explained, leaving a fresh towel ready for the next user, and there is always presented at the front ofthe pack 'of towels, even when the front halves of all of the towels have been used, an upwardly and forwardly extending folded end ready to be grasped and pulled forwardly through the opening 2 in the front of the casing.

The towel clamp or locking device may be of any suitable construction adapted to secure the pack of towels together and suspend them locked in the casing; The clamp shown consists of a roller or rod 15 and a parallel channel-shaped bar 16 between which the towels are clamped. The clamp ing bar 16 is movable toward and from. the

handles 19 arescrewed on the bolts 17 and I by screwing down these nuts the clamping bar is forced toward the roller or bar 15- to tightly grip and secure the pack of towels between the two bars. When the handles 18 of the nuts are turned to a position in which they extend inwardly toward each other, as shown in Fig. 4, they are locked by a padlock or other device 20 engaged in holes in the ends of the handles, and the towels cannot then be removed from the clamp without unlocking and unscrewing One of the clamp bars, for instance the roller 15, is preferably provided at its ends with journals 21 adapted to rest in suitable bearings 22 and 23 in the opposite sides of the casing, so as The towels can be secured in the clamp at the toilet supply house or laundry and brought to the towel holder ready for insertion therein. The folded ends of the towels can be temporarily. tie d with a string '26, as shown in Fig. 5, or otherwise bound together to prevent them from becoming unfolded in handling the towels. When the towels have been placed in position in the casing their folded lower ends are confined between front and rear partitions or plates.

27 and 28, and the string or temporary binder .is removed to permit the use of the towels. The front plate 21'" is hung in the The clamp can be locked in its lOO casing on a cross rod 29, or is otherwise suitably supported with itsupper edge located so that the folded end of the front towel projects forwardly over the plate, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and can be readily grasped to pull the towel forwardly through the access opening. The rear partition or plate 28 is preferably pivotally suspended at its upper edge on a rod orbail 30, havin crank arms 31 at its ends provided with outwardly projecting journals 32 which enter and are adapted to rock in bearing holes in the sides of the casing. This rear plate 28 hangs loosely against the rear side of the pack of towels and is adapted to follow forwardly with the pack as the towels are used, always bearingagainst the rear towel of the pack and pressing the .pack forwardly against the front plate 27. Thus, notwithstanding the diminishing thickness of the pack of towels, theirlower folded ends will always be properly held between the two V partitions or plates.

33 represent two endless chains which are arranged in the casing 1 at opposite sides thereof, and are connected by rods 34 forming an endless carrier. Each chain passes around chain wheels 35, 36 journaled in any suitable manner respectively in the upper and lower portions of the casing. The endless carrier is adapted to be operated each time the door 3 is opened to cause one of the rods 34: thereof to move upwardly in the casing in front of the pack of towels. When a person desires to use a towel he opens the door 3 by the operationof the treadle 5, as explained, and draws-the front towel of the pack forwardly through the door opening 2. lVhen the towel is dropped after use, it will swing downwardly and inwardly through the dooropening 2 into the casing and hang therein, as shown in Fig. 1, with the lower end of the towel resting against the front side of one of the rods 34 of the carrier. This rod holds the soiled towel out of contact with the pack of clean towels and thus prevents possible infection by contact of a soiled towel with 'a clean towel. It is not necessary for the user of'a towel to take any precaution as to the disposition of the soiled towel. If he simply drops the towel, as the. ordinar user does, the towel will naturally fall y gravity into the position shown in Fig. 1, with its lower end hanging against the cross rod 34. When the user removes his foot from the treadle 5, the door 3 will descend by gravity and hide the soiled towel. The soiled towels therefore are not exposed and do not cause an untidy appearance of the device. When. the door is again opened by the next person desiring to use a towel, the endless carrier will be moved a step, and the rod will carry the soiled towel up to the position above the pack of clean towels, indicated in Figs. 1

and 2. At the next operation of the carrier this towel will be moved downwardly in rear of the pack of towels and at the rear side of the rear partition plate 28. as shown in Fig.2, and the next soiled towel will be carried up as explained, the soiled towels being thus carried in suc ession to-the rear of the pack. j

The endless carrier can be operated to thus dispose of the soiled towels by any suitable mechanism which will cause the carrier to move one step each time the door 3 opened. In the construction shown. the door is provided at its lower end with fin gers 38 which are adapted to engage studs or projections 39 on the chains 33 and move the front runs of the chains upwardly when the door is raised. These studs or projections 39 are arranged 'at such intervals that each time the door is lowered its fingers 33 will engage under one pair of the studs 39,. as shown in F1 1, in position to move the carrier when the door is next raised. In

lever 40 is pivoted in the lower portion of the casing and is provided with an arm having .a lateral projection 42 adapted to be struck by the treadle when the latter is depressed, and an arm 43 adapted to move into the path of the cross rods 3 of the carrier to limit the movement of the chains. \Vhen the treadle is depressed and strikes the lower arm 42, the lever will be swung to the position indicated in Fig. 2 and will intercept one of the cross rods, thereby arresting the carrier in position for the fingers 38 on the door to properly engage one pair of studs 39 on the chains. lVhen the treadle is re leased, the stop lever 40 is adapted to swing out of the path of the rod 34 to a position to permit the movement of the carrier at the next operation of the treadle. A spring 4% is shown attached to the stop lever and to the front wall of the casing for retracting the stop lever. This spring, however, is not. absolutely essential as the stop .lever can be weighted so as to swing back to its normal position by gravity, or the cross rods of the carrier can be relied upon to move the stop lever back out of the way when the carrier is moved. The dog 41 shown consists of a pivoted bar adapted to swing by gravity into engagement with the teeth of the lower sprocket wheels to prevent backward move ment of the wheels and endless carrier.

with the clean towelsby the rods 34 of the carrier, and the soiled towels at the rear of the pack are separated from the clean towels by the rear partition plate 28. There is therefore no danger .of contaminationor in fection by contact at any time of the soiled and clean towels. As the towels are carried over from the front to the rear of the pack one after anotherthe operation of the device, the clamp 14 -will gradually turn in its bearin s, due to the shifting of the weight, thereby causing the soiled towels to hang properly at the rear of the pack and preventing them from bunching up at the top of the pack and possibly falling down in v the way in front of the clean towels, and in- .terfering with the proper operation of the device. The towelholder or device is adapted both for use in the manner described in places where it is intended to furnish towels for use free of charge, and also for use with a coin-controlled attachment or mechanism which will prevent one from obtaining access to or theuse of a towel without first depositing a suitable coin to release the door 3,

:treadle 5 or other part of the operating mechanism. Since, however, 'the coin-controlled mechanism does not form a part of this invention it is not herein shown or described. I claim as my invention:

1. In a towel holder, the combination of I a pack of towels secured in the holder so as to enable the individual use of the towels and to permit a used towel to hang with a part thereof free, an operable mechanism comprising a member which moves relatively to the pack to carry said hanging'used towel to a different position where it is out of view and does not obstruct access to said pack of towels. i

2. In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels secured to permit a used towel to hang with one end free from the front' of the pack, and mechanism operable bythe' user which has a part that moves upwardly in front of the pack of towels and carries said hanging used towel over to a position at the rear of the pack.

3. In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels secured together in position 1 to permit a used towel to hang with one end free, and towel operating mechanism com used towel to a position out of view.

4. In a towel holder, the combination of prising a carrier arrangedto pass around the pack of towels and carry, said hanging a pack of towels secured to permit individual use of the towels, and towel operating mechanism comprising rods arranged to travel upwardly and downwardly around the pack of towels and against which used towels are adapted to hang, said used towels being car- Tied to the rear of the pack by said rods.

5. In a towel holder, the combination" of a pack oftowels secured to permit individual use of the towels, and towel operating mechanism comprising an endless carrier arranged to travel upwardly and downwardly around the pack of towels and having horizontal rods against which used towels are adapted to hangat the front of the pack, said used towels being carried'tothe rear of the pack by said rods.

- 6... In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels, means for securing said towels with their ends hanging, an endless carrier arranged to travel upwardly in front of and downwardly in rear of the pack of towels and having horizontal rods against which used towels are adapted to hang at the front of the pack, said used towels being carried to the rear of the pack by the upward travel of said rods.

v'i. In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels secured to permit a used towel to hang with one end free, means inclosing-the towels, means operable to affordaccess to the towels, and mechanism actuated upon the operation of said access-affording means which carries said hanging used towel to a position out of view.

8. In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels secured to permit a used towel to hang with one end free at the front of the pack, means inclosing the towels, means operable to a'fiord access to the towels, and mechanism actuated upon the operation of said access-affording means which carries 10. In a towel holder, the combination a pack of towels secured to permit a used towel to hang with one end free at the front.

of the pack, a c'asinginclosing the towels and having a, door in front of the towels adapted to be opened to afford access to the towels, an endless carrier arranged to travel upwardly and downwardly around the pack of towels and having horizontal rods against which used-towels are adapted to hang at the front of the pack, saidused towels being carried to the rear of the pack by said rods. 11. In a towel holder, the'combination of a pack of towels securedto permit a used towel to hang with one end free at the front of the pack, mechanism which is operable tocarry-said used towel over to a position to carry said used towel over to a position at the rear of ,the pack, and a plate which separates the used towels at the rear of the pack from the clean towels while permitting the used towels to remain attached to the pack. 7 v

13. In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels, means for securing the towels between their ends to form substantially equal towel portions, said portions depending from said securing means and having their ends folded upwardly and forwardly, and means for retaining said towel portions in the folded condition with'the extremities of the upwardly folded ends 'exposed in position for use, said v securing means being so mounted as to allow each I of the depending towel portlons whenused,

to be passed over said securing means to the rear of the pack.

14. In a towel holder, the combination of a pack of towels, means for securing the towels with't-heir ends hanging, the hanging ends of the towels being folded upwardly and forwardly, a retainer against which the folded ends of the towels rest with their extremities exposed, and a plate which is pivoted in the towel holder and which hangs loosely against the pack of towels and holds by its own weight the folded ends towels against said retainer.

15. In a towel holder, the combination of, a pack of towels secured to permit individual,

use of. the towels, and towel operating mecnanlsm comprising an endless carrier wardly around the pack of towels and having horizontal rods against which .used towels are adapted to hangv at the front of the arranged to travel upwardly and downq of the pack, means for actuating said carrier carrier and preventing it from over-runn ng.

whereby the used towels are carried to the rear of. the pack bysaid rods, andstop means forlimiting the movement of said Witness my handthis Qthfday of an- I uary, 1917. a Y

- a HOWARD (IMCDONALDJ Witnesses: p F. E. PRooHnow,

M. J. PITMANQ 

